Article of furniture



May 5, 1942 A. l. STEINBERG' 2,282,262

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed DEC. 29, 1959 `My 5, 1942- i A. l. STEINBERG2,282,262

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed Deo. 29,- 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May5, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTICLE oF FURNITURE Abe I.Steinberg, Chicago, Ill. Application December 29, 1939, serial No.311,451

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an article of furniture and more particularlyto a table adapted for use alongside a chair, bed or the like.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of a table havingadjustable supporting means of great utility and adapted for a varietyof purposes.

Another object of this invention is the provision yof a table having aneXtensible supporting member which is concealed from view when Vout ofuse.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a table having anextensible supporting member which is adjustable to a variety ofpositions suitable for the convenience and comfort dotted lines, thesupporting member in vertical I' and horizontal positions.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,with the supporting member in concealed position.

Fig. 3 is a similar View, with the supporting member in extendedposition.

Fig. 3a is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view showing themanner by which an adjustment in the height of the table may beaccomplished.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view, partly in cross section, looking in thedirection of the arrows 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an end elevational View, looking in the direction of thearrows 5,-5 of Fig. 2, and having parts broken away.

Figs. 6 and '7 are top plan Views with the supporting member in anextended and turned over position, and showing, in dotted lines, therange of positions capable of being assumed by said supporting member`Fig. 8 is a plan View of the supporting member. Fig. 9 is a perspectiveView of the supporting member.

Fig. 10 is a similar view of the supporting closed position.

member, showing a book being supported in reading position.

Referring to the drawings, wherein is shown a preferred embodiment of myinvention, the numeral I5 indicates generally, a table which is adaptedto serve as an end or side table and which comprises a base portion IBhaving associated therewith a pair of upright standards .l1 and I8 and arear wall portion 20, the latter being vformed of upright panels v22 and23 spaced apart to providey a vertical pocket or compartment 24. Spacinglmembers 25 coextensive in length with the upright panelsservel to denea central compartment 121, in which is received the supporting memberindicated, generally, by the numeral 29 and presently to be described.The panels 22 and 23 arey provided with cutouts 30 and 3 1 respectively,as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, the said cutouts beingin alinement withthe compartment 21 and having a length substantially coextensive with'the width of said compartment.

A table top member 33 is suitably supported and secured on the uprightstandards l1 and I8 and wall portionZ and is provided withv a cutoutportion 34 having a length coextensive with the width of the centralcompartment 21 and being in alinement therewith, the 'said cut outportion serving as the opening for the compartment 2 1. A closure member35 is hingeclly secured to the top member 33 and is adapted to bereceived in the cut out portion 34 and to lie flush with the surface ofthe top member 33,when in A `housing structure, indicated, generally,`by the numeral 36, is formed of walls 31 suitably reinforced vbybracing members 38. As will be seen, by reference to Figs. 2, 3 and 3a,the housing 36 encloses the base portion I6 of the table which isarranged for sliding movement therein. This relative movement permitsraising or lowering of the table to the ldesired height. Supportingmembers 4U, shaped and secured to the base portion and housing,substantially as shown in the drawings, serve to nx the height ofthetable after same has been determined.

In Fig. 3 is shown one position of the base portion and housing, thedistance of said base portion from the floor being'indicated by theletter A. In Fig. 3a the base portion relative to the housing, is shownin altered position, the distance of said base portion from the oorbeing indicated by the letter B. It will be apparent that it is onlyrequired to remove the screws which secure the members 40 to thehousing, in order to make an adjustment in the height of the table.

While the means, shown and described for adjusting the height of thetable, provide for a substantially fixed position, it will be understoodthat other means may be provided for selectively adjusting the height ofthe table.

comprises a backing member 46-and a front mem` lber 41, both of whichare hingedly secured to thev member 48 and provided with torsion springs49 which serve, normally, to maintain said members in attened position,when out of use, as

shown in Fig. 8. A leg 50 hingedly secured to the member 46 serves toadjust the reading angle of the book to suit the convenience of thereader.

'It will be seen that the member 41 bears upon 'the pages of the openbook Vand serves to maintain the s ame in open position Awhile/the bookis carried on the support. A cross strip l mounted `on the other surfaceof the member 29 is provided ywith a finger engaging recess 52 andserves as astop and support for the member'29, as will be presentlydescribed.

` In out of use position, the member V29 is contained in the compartment21 with the cross strip 5I being received in the cutout 3l and bearingupon the bottom thereof. -The closure member 3 5 is normally in closedposition, flush with the v surface of the tabletop member 33. When it isdesired to use the member 29 for supporting a book or a typewriter, orfor writing vthereon or for other numerous purposes, the clovsure member35 is'swung back andthe member 29 'isgrasped with the ngers and pulledupwardly,

as shown in dotted' lines in Eig.v l. The member `29 is then swung to a`horizontal position and the terminal portion 44 is introduced into therecess 3,9. In this position the member 29 rests" on the bottom of therecess 3| which acts as a fulcrum,

`with the portion 44 rof the said member abutting the under surface ofthe top member 33.

'.Ihe supporting member 29is movable inf-the direction of itslongitudinal aXis, the distance which it can extend' beyond the tablebeing thereby capable of variation, a's desired, to suitv theconvenience of the user. The said member when V-in extended position,'is also movable both Vin vertical and in horizontal directions, eitherin arcs for in straight lines, the range of positions being vshown'inFigs. 6 and-7. VBecause of the wide range of movement, the member 29 canbe moved to assume -positions not possible with similar articles knownin the art. When'the member 29 `is in extended position, it maybe movedin a horizontal arc or straight line to' accommodate" the -book orreading material tothe proper focal point suitable to the reader. Withthe book supported` in proper position and at the proper focal point,Ait is clear that the fatigue and strain usually 'attendant prolongedreading is substantially elimmated. shouidth-e reader desire to write,at the tical arc to accommodate it to the newly assumed position. Also,should the rea-der desire to arise from his chair, he is not required tomove the entire table or to remove the book from the holder and move thesupporting member into retracted position. Merely, by moving thesupporting member outwardly, in a horizontal arc, sufcient clearance isprovided so that he may arise in a comfortablemanner.

It should be noted that the length of the supporting member isrelatively` greater than the width of the table top and that when thesaid member is horizontally disposed and moved to its innermostposition, it will extend beyond the table top. However, when out of use,the supporting member is lreceived in the compartment provided thereforand is concealed from View, the table presenting a conventionalappearance.'

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown anddescribed, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, 'and thatvarious vchanges in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention or thescope of the appended claims.

1. An article of furniture including a vertical compartment, a movablesupporting member adapted to be housed in said compartment, saidsupporting member having on one side thereof a book support and on theother sidev thereof a smooth surface, sai-d supporting member adapted tobe withdrawn vertically from said compartment and to be movable forpresenting either the said book support or the said smooth surface, saidsupporting member adapted to be swung to a horizontal position and to beadjustably movable in said position.

2. An article of furniture including a vertical compartment, a movablesupporting member adapted to be housed in said compartment, saidsupporting member having a relatively wide portion and a relativelynarrow portion, and carrying on one side of said relatively wide portiona book support, the other side of said portion being a relatively smoothsurface, said supportingmember adapted to be withdrawn vertically fromrsai-d compartment and to be movable for presenting either the said booksupport or the said smooth surface, the said supporting member beingswingable to a horizontal position and being adjustably movable in saidposition. v

' ABE I. STEINBERG.

